Staff report

Published 4:51 pm, Monday, October 11, 2010

ALBANY -- A city councilman was knocked to the ground and had a cellphone and a ring stolen by two men early Sunday, according to a police report.

Anton Konev, 26, who represents the city's 11th Ward near Washington Park, said he was attacked about 3 a.m. Sunday as he walked a short distance to his residence from a restaurant on Washington Avenue.

"I was coming home alone. My friends already left earlier," Konev said. "I completely didn't expect it. Two guys jumped from the back. The good thing is they didn't take much; they took one of my cellphones and they took a ring."

A police official said Konev met with a detective on Monday morning. Konev said after he discovered someone had used the stolen cellphone he decided to follow up with police. He added that he was not hurt and suffered a small scratch on his head from being knocked to the ground.

Police said they were unable to get a good description of the assailants.

"They quickly ran away so they didn't even get to my wallet," Konev said. "Maybe I guess I got lucky."

Konev, who is in his first term as a councilman, said it's the second time in Albany he has been attacked. The other incident took place when he was a graduate student at the University at Albany and triggered his interest in taking part in a neighborhood watch program.